


So We Push All Our Fears Away

by pan_disaster



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Bisexual Reggie Peters (Julie and The Phantoms), M/M, Non-Binary Reggie Peters (Julie and The Phantoms), Reggie Peters-centric (Julie and The Phantoms), alex is a dancer and idk if that'll be important or not yet, also pan-ace luke but that's besides the point, fight me, like reggie has a crisis about coming out, reggie uses they/them pronouns, the author is NOT nonbinary as far as they know, the teensiest amount of angst, willie uses he/they for plot purposes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:55:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28254255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pan_disaster/pseuds/pan_disaster
Summary: Reggie has know since the 90's they weren't quite a boy or a girl. Something just always felt off about those labels. Now since the boys and Reggie are in 2020, they've seen a lot of different people. One day, before Willie meets them and knows their pronouns, he refers to Reggie as 'they' and Reggie swears up and down it felt like they were coming home. Of course, Luke and Alex don't know yet, and Reggie would like to change that, after he has a nice long conversation with Willie.
Relationships: Alex Mercer/Willie (Julie and The Phantoms), Background
Comments: 4
Kudos: 45





	So We Push All Our Fears Away

**Author's Note:**

> alrighty tighty boys, 2 main things: I don't think I'm nonbinary so if anyone is and wants to let me know how they think I did writing an enby character please do and number 2 this isn't gonna be too great. I started this with half an idea for Reggie's issues and it's inevitably going to be longer than I originally plan for.
> 
> another thing: I headcannon Alex as a dancer so we may get something about him getting back from dance (ignore the little fact that he's invisible and everything will be swell) but don't quote me on that
> 
> the title is from 'Finally Free' off the soundtrack

Reggie was tired. It was 2020, 25 _years_ after the 3 of them died, and they still didn't know who they were. Of course, Luke and Alex were perfectly happy with their pronouns and identity because why _wouldn't_ they be? Now Reggie knew that Alex's partner went by he/they pronouns, so logically they should talk to him about their problems because they would get it. 

One issue with that: Reginald Peters's head had decided that no one was going to ever understand them. Reggie knew that Willie would. Hell, Willie had even thrown the term "Non-Binary" around before, and after that, they had spent over an hour on Julie's computer trying to figure out what they were. Reggie had become pretty comfy with said term, but they still wanted to make sure it was right. But ~no~ their brain just had to convince them that they were a menace. They knew for a fact that he would understand but it wasn't until literally 2 weeks later when Alex had called Willie 'they' that Reggie decided to talk to them.

All in all, there wasn't much to be scared of. Willie had sat with Reggie for the 2 hours it took for them to figure out that they were non-binary, and it wasn't a scary thing to think about or anything. The only scary part now was figuring how to come out to the band. 

It was pretty obvious that everyone would be OK with Reggie being non-binary, especially because of how everyone reacted when Alex started bring Willie to rehersal after dance. It might've been a coincidence that Alex came in everyday with "bruises from dance" on his neck everyday but they weren't about to bring it up that those bruises definitely _weren't_ from dancing. 

Reggie had been sitting on this _thing_ in his head since '94 and it hurt just a little bit everytime Luke or Julie told Ray that "He really was killing it today." It wasn't their fault though, Reggie should just suck it up and tell them. And he knew that he'd have Willie and Alex's support no matter what. They decided that they would tell everyone after rehersal, when everything is winding down and they're all putting their instruments away. 

"Hey guys, great job today" It was the normal script for them, Reggie would say good job and Luke would respond with "Thanks man, you did really good today. You too, Alex" Their conversations were like clockwork, something that had become part of the routine. 

"I was actually wondering if I could tell y'all something," Reggie stated, avoiding eye contact. They continued to put away their bass. 

"What's up Reg? Is everything alright?" Julie was ever the concerned one. 

Reggie uncomfortably looked at the floor "Oh no, everything's fine I just wanted to say that I'm non-binary." Their sentence fizzled out until it was practically inaudiable. 

"Sorry what?" Alex asked.

"I think I'm non-binary. I talked to Willie about it and it seemed to fit. I'd like to use they/them pronouns please." Reggie repeated his previous announcement.

"Thanks for telling us Reg, I really appreciate it and I want you to know that we all support you no matter what," Luke chirped. 

Julie and Alex made affirming noises to Luke's declaration, right as Reggie started crying.

Reggie was full out sobbing at this point. "Thanks guys, I didn't know how you'd react and even though Willie said it'd be fine I was still worried about it." 

"Ok, group hug guys, we'll order pizza and watch Star Wars and then a sleepover in the garage with everyone. Then we'll Reggie a little bracelet for their bass and continue making bomb-ass music, how about that?" Julie pulled everyone into a hug after making her statement. 

That night on the couch as A New Hope played on TV, Reggie decided that they were home, with their band and the knowledge that they still loved them. Reggie fell asleep in between everyone and knew that their life was gonna be good. 

**Author's Note:**

> and it's done. It didn't get too long which is good, but the dialogue seems a little stiff, which is just an unfortunate thing we all have to deal with until I can write more regularly.
> 
> Please, please, please tell me how I did with writing the coming out scene. I personally came out to my parents in a letter and I didn't take any shit from my friends so I didn't really have a super emotional coming out, especially one about gender stuff, and I'm always looking ways to improve myself when talking about gender and sexuality. 
> 
> thanks for reading this, i just kinda had this headcannon for a while now lmao


End file.
